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J. MOGRODDEN.

SODA BLOCKS.

No. 264,044. Patented Sept.`5, 1882.

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arrasar erica JAMES MGGRODDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. v

SODA BLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,044, dated September 5, 1882.

Application filed June 15, 189,2. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concer-n Be it known that I, JAMES MGCRODDEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soda Blocks, which are described in the following specification in such full, clear, and exact terms as will enable those skilled in the art to which they appertaiuto make and use the same. i t

In the manufacture of the commercial soda one ofthe necessary steps consists in treating the carbonate of soda with carbonio-acid gas to produce the bicarbonate-of soda; and it is during this part of the process of manufacture that the proper massing of the soda becomes an important consideration, and to which my invention is especially adapted. In converting the carbonate into the bicarbonate the former has been spread over shallow trays, which are provided with cloth bottoms, through which the gas could have access to the mass from below, and which, with their contents, were exposed to the ,action of carbonic-acid gas in a closed chamber. 'lhe carbonate has, also, in some instances been formed into perforated blocks, resting upon wooden trays or stock-boards previous to being submitted to the carbonatin gproces's. These methods of preparing the carbonate for the carbon atin g-charnber have disadvantages that I fully overcome by my present invention, which consistsiu integrating the soda by means of a suitable mold into blocks of a convenient size, the upper und under surfaces of which are transversely or longitudinally scored with deep channels or furrows, those channels made in the one surface of the block being located intermediately With reference to the positions of the corre.

sponding channels in the opposite surface thereof. v

The accompanying drawing illustrates such a block of soda, which is rectangular in general shape, and the sides ot' which are slightly beveled. Its upper surfaceisindented with the channels or furrows A and its under surface with the channels or furrows B. 'lhese channels A and B are represented as transverse; but they may be longitudinal or even diagonal. Blocks of this kind are shaped in any appropriate mold provided with inwardly-projecting channel-forme'rs, and arranged to contain a rack composed of cross bars or cleats blocks are molded, with the solid portions bof 6o their under surfaces resting upon' the cleats c of the rack and the channels B coming over the openings between the cleats; and it is by means of these racks that the blocks are rcmoved from the mold and transferred to the carbonating-chamber. By thus molding the soda into homogeneous masses it is at once rendered self sustaining, and considerable time is gained that heretofore has been consumed by the preliminary drying necessary to the handling of the blocks.

It will be seen that the block is so constructed that the distance the impregnating gas has to penetrate is substantially the same for all parts of the block, for which reason, and because this distance or the thickness of the block is never in excess of the penetratingpower of the gas, a further saving ot' time in the carbonating processes is also etfected. The peculiar form given to the block is such that, compared with its entire bulk, the greatest area of surface is exposed to the carbonating-gas, while only such a portion of the same becomes the bearing-surface as is actually necessary to support the block. This improves the grading of the soda by diminishing the deteriorating effect which discoloration incident to lthe contact ot' the soda with the stockboards has upon its commercial value, and reduces the destructive corrosive action of the soda upon the stock boards, thus greatly lessening the consumption as well as the necessary number of such stock-boards, which, also, when made in the form of racks, can be supplied at a cost far less than' the trays or stock-boards heretofore used.

The temperature of the charging-chamber is, for the purpose of rendering'the carbonate more absorbent, generally raised sutliciently high to cause the liquefaction (more or less) of thev crystals of soda, and in the irregular and uneven masses of soda as commonly introduced into the charging-chamber the tendency of the liquor produced by the dissolved crys- IOO tals is to'settle to the bottom of the mass, parscored with channels in one of its surfaces f ticularly if the soda contains a surplus of such crystals, and when cooled this liquor forms into a hard dense crust, upon which the gas has practically no e'ect. By submitting the soda to the action of the gas in blocks molded to a form substantially as above described this trouble is avoided, because all sides of the blocks, and particularly the greater portion of their under surfaces, are exposed to the influence of the heat and action ofthe gas, thus causing the blocks to become uniformly heated and the dissolved crystals to be held in suspension or absorbed; or, if the crystals be in suchexcess that aliquid collection results, the bearing-surfaces of the blocks are too narrow and the facilities offered for drainage so ample that the retention of such liquid Within the mass composing the block is practically impossible.

The exact shape of the channels A and B is not material. They may be in crossAseetion of an angular, square, or curved shape, and they may extend deeper into the block than shown by the drawing. A block ofsoda deeply manifestly would have some ot' the essential advantages possessed by a block having channels alternately occurring in its upper and under surfaces; but this latter forni is preferable. It', however, the block is furrowed in one of its surfaces only, preferably this should be the under surface, as this will give more efficient drainage.

What is claimed as new is- 1. A block of' sodaliavingits surface grooved or furrowed, substantially as andnfor the purpose set forth, whereby the mass composing the block may be more thoroughly exposed to the iniluence of heat and the action of impregnating gases.

2. A block of soda the under and upper surfaces of which are channeled or furrowed, the channels or furrows in one surface being located substantially intermediate with reference to those in the opposite surface.

JAMES MCGRODDEN. Witnesses:

W. F. HAPGooD, It. F. GAYLORD. 

